{
    "term": "balloon",
    "partOfSpeech": "noun",
    "ox5000": true,
    "cefr": "b2",
    "definitions": [
        {
            "senseNumber": 1,
            "definition": "a small bag made of very thin rubber that becomes larger and rounder when you fill it with air or gas. Balloons are brightly coloured and used as decorations or toys.",
            "cefr": "b2",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "**to blow up/burst/pop a balloon**"
                },
                {
                    "text": "My balloon has burst!"
                },
                {
                    "text": "A thousand balloons were released to mark the event."
                },
                {
                    "text": "They tied the balloons to the back of the car."
                },
                {
                    "text": "helium balloons for the children's party"
                }
            ],
            "topics": ["Games and toys"],
            "collocations": {
                "adjective": ["helium", "water", "colourful/​colorful"],
                "verb + balloon": ["blow up", "inflate", "burst"],
                "balloon + verb": ["burst", "pop"]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 2,
            "definition": "a large balloon made of strong material that is filled with hot air or gas to make it rise in the air, usually carrying a basket for passengers",
            "cefr": "b2",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "We went up in a balloon."
                },
                {
                    "text": "She crossed the Atlantic in a hot-air balloon."
                }
            ],
            "topics": ["Transport by air"],
            "collocations": {
                "adjective": ["barrage", "hot-air", "weather"],
                "verb + balloon": ["go up in", "launch", "release"],
                "balloon + verb": ["float by", "float over", "float up"],
                "balloon + noun": ["flight", "race"],
                "preposition": ["in a balloon"]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "to be very unsuccessful; to not be accepted by people",
            "labels": "(informal)",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "My suggestion went down like a lead balloon."
                }
            ],
            "topics": ["Difficulty and failure"]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "when the trouble that you are expecting begins",
            "labels": "(British English, informal)",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "We have to get out of here before the balloon goes up!"
                }
            ]
        }
    ],
    "pronunciations": {
        "uk": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/bəˈluːn/",
                "audio": "ba/balloon/balloon__gb_2.mp3"
            }
        ],
        "us": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/bəˈluːn/",
                "audio": "ba/balloon/balloon__us_1.mp3"
            }
        ]
    },
    "wordOrigin": "late 16th cent. (originally denoting a game played with a large inflated leather ball): from French ballon or Italian ballone ‘large ball’."
}